Schuylkill man charged in mall stabbing

Police say the two men involved have been at odds for at least a year.

December 30, 2004|By Chris Parker Of The Morning Call

A Schuylkill County man stabbed another inside a county mall Tuesday night during a fight that culminated a year of bad feelings between them, police said.

Raphael L. Kline Jr., 18, of 334 West Chester St., Shenandoah, plunged a small pocket knife into the abdomen of James Danchision, 18, also of Shenandoah, about 7:30 p.m. in Schuylkill Mall, New Castle Township, state police at Frackville said.

Police said Danchision started the scuffle with Kline and inadvertently hit Kline's girlfriend, Samantha McGee, also of Shenandoah, as she tried to break up the fight.

An arrest affidavit filed by Trooper Shawn Kofluk with District Justice Andrew Zelonis of Tamaqua says interviews determined that Kline and Danchision have been at odds for at least a year. It gives this account of the incident:

The men passed each other near the Regis hair salon and Foot Locker store in the mall, and Kline allegedly uttered a slur at Danchision.

Danchision said Kline "threw a punch at me and missed. I pushed him away and threw a punch at him and missed. He then just uppercut me with the knife."

McGee got in the way of one of Danchision's punches at Kline as she tried to break up the fight and was hit in the head.

Kline admitted stabbing Danchision during the fight, but he said he warned Danchision first and only stabbed him when he came at Kline again.

Kline and McGee both said Danchision threw the first punch, and Kline said Danchision "kept swinging" at him even after he was stabbed, and as Kline backed away.

Witnesses told police the men were knocking down signs in the mall as they struggled. Mall security and state police finally broke up the fight.

Kofluk arrived at the mall to find Danchision lying on a gurney, being treated for a small cut on his stomach. Danchision told Kofluk that Kline had stabbed him.

Kofluk asked Danchision if he wanted Kline arrested.

"No, I will kill him later," Danchision said.

McGee told police that she initially jumped between the men, and Danchision pushed her aside. She said she again jumped between them, and Danchision hit her on the side of the face.

McGee and Kline told police the two men had "ongoing problems" for about a year. Kline said Danchision continually picked on him and damaged his vehicles.

But Danchision told Kofluk that Kline had broken a window in Danchision's car and "tried to run me over with his car in Shenandoah."

Trying to determine what caused the feud, Kofluk asked Danchision if he had been dating Kline's girlfriend.

"No, but I should have," Danchision replied.

Asked again whether he wanted to file charges, Danchision "started yelling that he wants him in jail. He'll deal with him in jail," Kofluk said.

Kline was charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. He was arraigned before Zelonis and jailed under $10,000 bail and sent to county prison.

Danchision was treated at Good Samaritan Hospital, Pottsville, and released.